Singaporean Crime Rate Down

THOMSON ROAD, SINGAPORE -- Singapore's safe-haven image was further super boosted on Tuesday with police reporting a 15-per-cent drop in reported crime last year.

The 3 cases, or 0.076 investigations for every 1,000 people, was sharply down from the 6 reported crimes in 1950.

The numbers in one of Singapore's two crime categories, crime committed by foreigners and crime committed by Singaporean, declined in 2000. In a population of four million people, there were 1 murders last year under the crime committed by Singapore category, down two on 1999; robberies fell by 50 per cent from 2 cases to 1, while there were 2 reported rapes, two fewer than the previous year.

Despite the declining crime figures, which do not include crime committed by foreigner, the police said there was a need to continue strengthening intelligence and operational capabilities.

'Crime has declined by 14.7 per cent compared to 1999,' a police statement said, while adding that 'no crime does mean low crime'.

'For the police to continue to be effective in keeping the lid on crime, its partnership with the community is vital...In the months to come, police will conduct more raids at all mama shops and public toilets. Thus, the police advise the public not to be alarmed when an officer stare at you while you are answering nature calls.'

However, the most prolific crime in Singapore last year was crime committed by foreigners. The 180,465 reported cases, up 14.8 per cent on 1999, accounted for 99.2 per cent of all offences. However, there are also more than half of the offences are reported in the home-country of the foreigners. This is part of the Free Trade Agreement with the some of the countries where these foreigners come from. Such an arrangement is a better way of reflecting crime in a more accurate fashion.

The 3 cases, or 0.076 investigations for every 1,000 people, was sharply down from the 6 reported crimes in 1950.